


Oh La Love, I've Fallen in Love

by dutty (vodka)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, F/F, Femslash, Gender or Sex Swap, Strap-Ons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-19 14:20:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2391521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vodka/pseuds/dutty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is tired of her friends setting her up on dates. And then she meets Zayn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh La Love, I've Fallen in Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stuckinabottle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stuckinabottle/gifts).



> Title taken from 'I Would Do Anything For You' by Foster the People
> 
> Written for this prompt: "I'd like some good ol' fashioned Zarry girlfriends. I've never read much f/f Zarry so I'd love to see them meeting / set up by mutual friends. And awkward flirting to eventual sex!"
> 
> Mentions of Liam/Harry
> 
> Thanks to the lovely A for beta reading.

Lou’s already got them a table by the time Harry spills in through the door, fingers curled around a glass of white wine and Lux at her side, feet dangling in a high chair. 

“You’re late,” she says by way of greeting, nevertheless getting up to give Harry a quick hug across the table and a kiss on each cheek. She looks good, if a bit tired in the way that mums with tantrum throwing two year olds often are, waves of silver-white hair spilling across her shoulders and a dungaree dress on. Flashes of dark lace show through the gaping armholes of her Paddingtons shirt; the sleeves hacked off just before Tom’d _ironically_ taken the stage in it at their last show in Hull. 

“Hawwy!” Lux gurgles, all milk teeth and big blue eyes, kicking her feet excitedly in her little Doc Martens. The sight of her makes Harry’s chest ache, makes her irrationally want a baby of her own before she just as quickly remembers that she’s only twenty and nowhere near settled enough. 

“Hello, love,” she coos, pressing a kiss to Lux’s forehead and sliding into her seat, “I swear you’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you, so many teeth!”

Lux shows them off as Lou wipes spit off her chin with a serviette.

“D’you know what you’re ordering yet? I’ve heard they’ve got really good salmon burgers here,” Harry says to Lou, cracking the menu open. 

Lou doesn’t reply, and when Harry looks up from the lunch specials with an eyebrow raised, she finds Lou watching her with a knowing grin. 

Harry supposes it would’ve been too much to ask that Lou wouldn’t notice how hurriedly put together Harry looks, hair still wet from the shower beneath the wide brim of her hat and yesterday’s shirt on with the beer stains she’d tried to dab out in the toilet still very much there. 

The waiter comes over to tip water into Harry’s glass and ask if they’re ready to order. Harry goes for the salmon burger and chips and Lou orders club sandwiches and more wine and an apple juice for Lux.

“So, what did you get up to last night?” Lou asks once the waiter’s out of earshot. 

Harry shrugs a shoulder, knows she’s got that grin she always gets when sex is involved. “Went to a bar with some friends.”

“Didn’t make it home, I’m guessing.”

“Afraid not,” Harry laughs. “Liam was there.” 

“Liam?” Lou’s eyes get bright. “Is that back on, then?”

“Not exactly… I don’t think so, anyway. We just kind of, keep hooking up every time we’re at the same party, I guess.” 

Lou looks proper scandalised, dramatically swallowing the last bit of her wine. “Wait, hold on a minute! This isn’t the first time? You’ve been broken up for like two months. What else have you been keeping from me?” 

“Nothing else, I promise, you know I tell you everything,” Harry says, fiddling with the ring she’d nicked off Liam’s bathroom counter a few weeks ago. She should probably give it back.

“It’s just that you’re not usually the type to get with exes is all,” Lou says softly. “Unless you’ve still got feelings for him?” 

“I don’t, it’s not like I’m hung up or anything. We’ve always been good mates, dating didn’t change that. It’s just, I’ve not met anyone new lately, and he’s… fit and,” Harry sneaks a look at Lux from the corner of her eye, sees she’s distracted holding a staring contest with another baby several tables over, “he’s really good in bed.” 

Lou snorts.

Harry’s cheeks feel warm. 

“Well,” Lou starts, “I quite like Liam, and you two made a lovely couple, but I don’t think this whole shagging your ex business is a good idea. Things get messy, and you have a penchant for leading people on—”

“I do not!” 

“You do,” Lou says, rolling her eyes because it’s not the first time they’ve been through this. “Even if you don’t always mean to. You’re very good at making people feel like you’re more into them than you actually are. I just think you should be careful, is all; you know how sensitive Liam is, was devastated when you called it off. Christ, do you remember when he moaned on Twitter after for like a week straight?” 

Harry grimaces. 

“Exactly. Don’t make it harder for him to move on.” 

Lou’s right, Harry knows. She’d been with Liam for the better part of a year, and it was a good relationship, they got on well and enjoyed each other’s company and Liam was _amazing_ with his tongue. But Harry’d felt like something was missing, like there wasn’t a special spark between them. It was comfortable and easy, but Liam didn’t make her heart race. So she’d called it off, said she needed to focus more on her music. Liam had been hurt but understanding, adamant that they remained close after, and Harry ‘d gratefully agreed because they shared half their friends and haunts and it would’ve been awful to lose all that and start from scratch.

The fucking, however, wasn’t part of the plan. 

The fucking had been a by-product of tequila and Liam’s hand on Harry’s thigh as he whispered into her neck about how much he’s missed her. And it’d been so good they did it again, and again, until it was practically a given that if they were both there and drinking was involved, Harry was leaving with Liam, which in a way, defeats the point of breaking up.

The waiter slides their plates onto the table, bringing another glass of wine for Lou and swiping the empty one, and Harry orders a cider because she suddenly feels like she needs a drink.

“So you said you haven’t met anyone new,” Lou says a bit _too_ nonchalantly, removing the hors d’oeuvre sticks and cutting the sandwiches into even smaller pieces for Lux. “Are you looking?” 

“Not really… I usually just meet people randomly, ask them out and all that and go from there, but I haven’t.” 

“Or you’ve not been trying since you’re still sitting on Liam’s face.” 

“Louise! A child is present!” 

“She has no idea what that means,” Lou laughs, and Lux pouts as though she knows she’s being left out, but quickly perks up when Lou slides her plate over. 

“You’re a terrible mother.” 

“Oh? Do you want to bring up the time I found used condoms in the rubbish when you were meant to be babysitting?” 

“She was asleep! We did it in Liam’s car, so it’s not like she was really there or I did it in the house—you know what? Never mind. Point taken.” 

Lou smirks and swishes her wine around the glass. “So, back to you and getting a date.”

“It’s not like I’ve only been shagging Liam,” Harry says, dipping a chip in mayonnaise. “I’ve been with some other people since we broke up. Just haven’t clicked with anyone really.” 

“I’ve got friends I could set you up with,” Lou pointedly ignores Harry’s groan, “last night I was out with this model called Marta, just moved to London from Sweden. I’d done her makeup at a shoot earlier and she invited me and a few other people out for drinks. She’s gorgeous, tall and blonde and I know how much you love that. She’s got a really dry sense of humour and a cute accent; I think you’d like her. I’m not entirely certain whether she likes girls or not, actually, but she got with this other bird at the bar and they exchanged numbers, so I think she’s at least open to the idea.” 

Harry groans again. As much as she loves the idea of a blonde model, pulling Lou’s friends has only made her social life awkward; politely avoiding Caroline Flack and her new boyfriend after having to pretend it’s the first time she’s meeting Matt Hitt when Alexa introduced them was quite a stressful night. 

“I don’t know, Lou, it’s not like my biological clock is ticking or anything. I’m fine. I’ll meet someone new eventually. I’ve got an EP to finish recording anyway, I don’t have time for blind dates.” 

“Just let me set you up with Marta, I swear you’ll love her.” 

“Louise.” 

“Harry.” 

“Hawwy!” Lux chimes in, peeling the bread off her sandwich and dunking it into her juice. “Do it!”

Harry makes a face. “Whose side are you on? You don’t even know what we’re talking about.”

“It’s settled then. You’re going out with Marta,” Lou says, digging into her food with an air of finality. 

Harry sighs, turning to Lux. “This is your fault.” 

 

\--

 

Predictably, the date with Marta turns out to be a bloody nightmare. 

They have sushi and Marta doesn’t laugh at any of Harry’s jokes. She’s stunning, just like Lou’d said, pretty grey eyes and full lips and an adorable upturned nose, but she’s also hard to read and doesn’t say much, looks away whenever their eyes meet for too long. Harry spends a lot of time talking to herself and earning unenthusiastic half-smiles in return. 

She’s ready for it to be over, doesn’t even angle for a second date like she usually would with someone so pretty. But before she can make a clean break towards the bus stop, they run into the girls Marta’s sharing a flat with, and Harry finds herself at Mahiki with a throng of people she doesn’t know. So she drinks more than she should and tries to have a good time. 

She doesn’t remember very much in the morning, but she remembers Marta’s flushed, angry face when she walked in on Harry pressed up against the bathroom wall with her flatmate’s tongue down her throat.

_‘How’d it go?’_ Lou texts whilst Harry’s untangling herself from the sheets because she thinks she’s going to be sick. 

_‘Not well.’_

__But Lou isn’t deterred. She’s convinced Harry needs someone new in her life, so she’s made it her personal mission to meddle in Harry’s love life, has even got Sam and Gemma in on it, too. Harry’s got a date nearly every night, whether she’s aware of it or not. Lou will invite her over to help cook a Sunday roast, and there’ll be another friend over who Harry’ll be left alone with because Lou conveniently remembers something she needs from the supermarket and takes all the time in the world to get it, leaving a bottle of red wine and lit candles in her wake. Or they’ll go for dinner before heading to a gallery, Lou and Tom and Harry and whoever on random, incredibly awkward double dates that make Lou pinch Harry’s leg under the table because _’You’re not even trying!’_. _ _

__Harry’s been out with photographers, models, writers, singers, hair stylists, and one of Tom’s weird friends who’s got a stick ‘n’ poke tattoo of Bart Simpson pissing on the back of his calf and sings in an experimental band called The Nipples._ _

__Suffice to say, Harry’s still single and now she refuses to go anywhere with Lou. She’s made Gemma swear on their mum that she’ll stop tricking Harry, as well; they both take that very seriously because they love their mum a lot._ _

__“I’m never going on a date again,” Harry whines to Niall, shovelling lo mein into her mouth._ _

__They’re in their flat, curled up on the sofa with Jamie Oliver on, Chinese takeaway in plastic bags on the coffee table. It’d been a stroke of luck meeting Niall; he’d put an ad for a flatmate up on Gumtree and Harry’d been the first to reply to it, desperate to get off Sam and Gemma’s couch and get a place of her own after finally making it to London._ _

__They’d hit it off immediately, thick as thieves the minute Harry moved her few worldly possessions into her tiny room in the converted Victorian in Lewisham. They stay up late messing about on their guitars and singing at each other, and neither of them bats an eyelid when the other’s one night stands (or ex-boyfriends) join them at the table for breakfast. Harry loves Niall’s strong Irish accent and the fact that he always remembers to buy bog roll, and Niall loves that Harry doesn’t mind cooking for him, too and gets Lou to bleach his hair for free._ _

__They’re good for each other. Niall’s been a big part of Harry’s music career slowly getting off the ground; he’s a wiz with social media and convincing his boss to let Harry play a few songs at the pub he works at. Harry doesn’t know what she’d do without him._ _

__“Were they really that bad?” Niall laughs, helping himself to the last spring roll. “Lou knows tonnes of fit girls, surprised you didn’t even pull.”_ _

__“I could’ve, believe me,” Harry says, thinking of the writer who tied the stem of a cherry with her tongue over dessert. “But I didn’t see the point. Sleeping with Lou’s friends never ends well for me.”_ _

__“Well, I reckon you’ll meet someone eventually. I’ve got friends I could introduce you to—“_ _

__“No more dates, Niall. None. I don’t even have anymore things left to wear at a nice restaurant.”_ _

__“You don’t need to dress up, you always look hot.” He wriggles his eyebrows, pointedly looking at where Harry’s nipples are printing through her worn Rolling Stones shirt._ _

__She jabs him in the side with a chopstick. “You think everyone with big tits is hot, you pervert.”_ _

__“Yeah, like your mum—Ow! Stop poking me with those things.”_ _

__“Stop being a prick, then.”_ _

__“This is the treatment I get for giving you and your mum a compliment.”_ _

__“You keep this up and see if I don’t hint at Maura about you and Barbara’s pregnancy scare the next time she’s over.”_ _

__“A woman scorned, indeed,” Niall says._ _

__

__\--_ _

__

__Ironically, Harry meets Zayn because of Niall._ _

__\--_ _

__

__Harry’s just finished her set at the pub, sat on a stool and strumming her guitar in the dim light. Her voice is raspier than it normally is because she’s coming off the end of a cold, still sniffling into her sleeve, but everyone claps and cheers just the same, even at the new songs she’s never played for an audience before._ _

__It’s a bigger crowd than Harry’s ever seen at The Lion’s Mane; Niall had been promoting Harry all over Twitter and Instagram and the pub’s Facebook page, along with the happy hour specials the same night. Harry’d like to think all of these people aren’t here for cheap beer, so many that people have to stand because all the tables are full._ _

__The whistles and applause make her heart race, and she does an encore because people in the back are screaming for more. By the time she gets off stage, she’s flushed and sweaty, damp curls sticking to her neck and back. Quite a few people stop her on her way to the bar, happy to take the few business cards she’s got and offering to buy her drinks._ _

__Liam’s sat on a barstool, biting the olive off a pick as Niall slides him another martini. Harry’s willing to bet Niall doesn’t make a lot of those when most of the patrons are more the beer and whisky sort, but she orders one, as well, sitting on the stool beside him._ _

__“Hey, babe,” Liam says, kissing her cheek. His beard’s grown out, the stubble catching on her skin. He looks good, gold watch and expensive trainers like he’s on the way to Funky Buddha, the kind of place Harry’s never been into but has found herself in a handful of times, usually because of Liam. “You were really good.”_ _

__“Yeah, you fuckin’ killed it,” Niall agrees, sliding Harry her apple martini._ _

__“Thanks, it felt good,” Harry says, not missing the way Liam’s looking at her. He’s always loved the way these jeans fit her arse and legs, and she’s got a sheer top on that shows all her tattoos and the dip of her waist. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”_ _

__“Last minute decision, was texting Niall and he told me you were playing, so I decided to drop in. Thinking of hitting a club later, though. I’d invite you along, but I know that’s not your thing.”_ _

__“I’ve got plans for Styles tonight anyway,” Niall cuts in, at the tap filling a pitcher with beer. “Louis’ just got back from Amsterdam, said he’s got absinthe to share with us tonight so I invited him over.”_ _

__“Oh,” Liam says. “I might pop in on that later.”_ _

__“You should,” Harry says, letting her eyes linger on his mouth. It’s been a while. She’s had a good night, wouldn’t hurt to end it on Liam’s dick. Liam smiles like he knows exactly what she’s thinking._ _

__Niall rolls his eyes at the two of them and moves off._ _

__Liam downs the rest of his martini in two big gulps. “I should probably be off now. Might see you later, though, yeah?”_ _

__Harry runs her tongue across her bottom lip, watching Liam follow it with his eyes. “Text me if you’re coming. I’ll be up.”_ _

__Harry watches Liam go, chewing thoughtfully on the end of her olive pick when Niall comes over again. “You do remember you two broke up, right? How many booty calls does it take until you’re officially back together?”_ _

__“We’re not getting back together.”_ _

__“Does he know that?”_ _

__“Christ, have you been talking to Lou?”_ _

__“No, but I’ve been talking to Liam and he still fancies you like mad.”_ _

__Harry sighs, running a hand through her hair. It’s sweaty and her fingers are tangling in it, so she pulls it up into a bun._ _

__“Maybe you really should date again,” Niall says._ _

__Harry glares at him and decides to give him the cold shoulder until he brings her another free drink._ _

__

__\--_ _

__Making plans with Louis is pointless. Louis is unpredictable, often late, and doesn’t let you in on what he’s really up to until it’s too late to back out of it. But he’s also maddeningly endearing so it’s impossible to be cross with him for very long._ _

__It’s how ‘coming over to do a few shots of absinthe’ turns into ‘I’ve actually planned a party at yours and told some mates to bring their mates who’ve brought their mates’. The living room is packed with a mixture of people Harry kind of knows and people she’s never seen before. But they’ve brought alcohol and they’ve been very generous with it, so Harry’s having a good time listening to Louis regale the room with tales of the shit he’d got up to in Amsterdam, tipsy off cups of Malibu rum. Someone’s playing Eminem off their iPod, so loud that Harry won’t be surprised when one of their neighbours calls the police._ _

__“This is a sausage fest, pretty much all the girls that are here are with their boyfriends,” Niall grumbles at Harry. “Bloody Louis, ever since he’s got with El he never brings girls around anymore.”_ _

__Harry snorts. “You were looking to pull?”_ _

__“You’re not the only one with needs, you know.”_ _

__“Well, I guess neither of us is pulling tonight unless Liam comes over later.”_ _

__Niall scrunches his nose, taking a swig of his Corona. “What’s stopping you from pulling? Lots of blokes to choose from, you lucky bisexual.”_ _

__Harry has another look around the room, frowning. “None of them are my type, I suppose.”_ _

__“Since when do you have a type?” Niall laughs. “Although I guess you do like them older. How’re Ben and Caroline doing?”_ _

__Harry narrows her eyes. “Are you calling me a slag?”_ _

__“Wouldn’t dream of it, babe.”_ _

__“Who’s ready for some absinthe?” Louis’ voice rings out over the music and loud hum of conversation. He’s stood on the coffee table and Harry’s half expecting him to fall through it since she’d dragged it from the curb when someone down the road was moving out. It’s not in the best condition. “First dibs for Niall and the lovely Harriett for letting us all destroy their flat!”_ _

__Louis makes them both join him on the coffee table, standing on his toes to tip the bottle into their mouths to the rowdy delight of the room. Harry drinks more Malibu and does a shot of vodka with Niall, and then the room is spinning at a million miles per hour._ _

__She looks around and everyone’s a blur. She squints to focus but it’s impossible, she’ll see the print of a shirt or teeth glinting in the light, and then everything becomes smears of shape and colour again. She’s _pissed_._ _

__She’s sprawled on the sofa, gazing at her own scuffed boots when Niall comes over with the most bloody gorgeous girl Harry’s ever seen. She’s so fucking beautiful that Harry sobers long enough to take her in, all long, dark hair and big, amber eyes, tattoos covering her arms from beneath the tight Batman t-shirt she’s got on. She’s a wisp of a girl, not very tall and quite skinny, but she’s got a presence that knocks the breath from Harry’s lungs, and it’s not just her sharp cheekbones and plump bottom lip._ _

__“Zayn, this is Harry, Harry this is Zayn,” Niall’s saying, looking between the two of them. “Zayn’s the one I was telling you about the other day when you were thinking of album art for your EP. She’s a really good artist.”_ _

__But it’s like Harry hadn’t heard anything at all. She can’t stop staring at Zayn. Her brain refuses to function even when Zayn gives a shy ‘hello’, her voice soft and lovely. Even though Harry’s mastered coming across more confident than she feels, Zayn’s stolen every ounce of cool that she has. Harry’s too drunk for this, and she has to say something because she’s just been staring like a loon._ _

__So she opens her mouth, hoping something charming comes out, but instead she vomits all over Zayn’s shiny, black combat boots._ _

__“You’ll be alright,” Zayn says softly, holding Harry’s hair back as she gets sick, in the toilet this time._ _

__This is not the first impression Harry wants to make on someone who looks like Zayn. She wretches again and Zayn rubs her back in soothing circles._ _

__“I think you should go to bed,” Zayn says when Harry’s got nothing left to throw up, dribbling spit down her chin._ _

__“’m sorry I threw up on your shoes,” Harry says pathetically._ _

__Zayn laughs. “It’s not a big deal. Louis’ one of my best mates, trust me when I say this isn’t the first time that’s happened. Now let’s get you to bed.”_ _

__Harry swishes her mouth out and lets Zayn lead her down the corridor, a hand on her lower back. She’s quite remorseful over the fact that Zayn’d been the one to watch her throwing up. No one ever wants to snog the person they’ve just watched vomit._ _

__She strips out of her clothes as soon as soon as they reach her room, struggling out of her jeans and leaving a pile at the foot of the bed. Zayn’s quiet as she watches Harry crawl onto the duvet in nothing but a bra and knickers that are mostly wedged up her arse, collapsing into a sprawl that probably looks a bit obscene._ _

__“Do you have ginger tea?” Zayn asks out of the blue. “I could make you some, if you’d like… You’ll feel better.”_ _

__The room is still spilling and Zayn is still here. By some work of divine intervention, Harry hasn’t scared her off. So Harry bats her eyelashes and says ‘please’ despite not actually knowing if they have ginger tea or not; their cupboard is an eclectic disaster of tea tins and boxes that their mums have deemed necessary to stock them up on, hardly touched because Harry’s good with an English breakfast tea and maybe green tea if she’s feeling particularly healthy, and Niall lives off coffee. Harry just isn’t ready for Zayn to slip through her fingers quite yet._ _

__Zayn returns with two steaming mugs, resting them on the bedside table so she can toe her boots off._ _

__“Did we actually have ginger?” Harry laughs, sitting up._ _

__Zayn grins. “Two different brands of it.”_ _

__Harry’s as upright as she's going to get, folding her legs in front of her. She feels tired, at that point of the night where she’s past happy drunk and nosedived into grogginess. But Zayn gets into the bed with her, blowing the steam from the rim of her mug, and Harry’s suddenly prepared to stay up all night if she has to. She can feel herself getting hot between the legs, acutely aware of the fact that she’s practically naked in bed with someone devastatingly attractive. But it’s a lazy arousal, an ‘I would’ rather than a ‘touch me’._ _

__Zayn’s closed the door, but the noise of the party still filters in beneath it, Bastille playing instead of Eminem._ _

__“Thanks for the tea, you didn’t have to do all this. Holding my hair was enough,” Harry says softly. She’s actually embarrassed now that her wits are catching up to her. If it were Niall, she wouldn’t care, God knows he’s seen her at her absolute worst, but Zayn is sweet as treacle, clearly someone special. Harry would’ve preferred impressing her to this._ _

__“It’s really not a big deal, stop worrying about it,” Zayn says, daring to take a sip and wincing because it’s still too hot._ _

__Harry’s lips twitch with a small smile. Everything Zayn does is attractive and it’s not just the absinthe and Malibu and vodka making her feel this way. It’s that spark she’s always known she wanted, the one she hadn’t felt with Liam. Harry loves the idea of getting swept up in romance, has always been a lover and not a fighter. She laid candles on a bridge for the first boy she liked, wanted their first kiss to be picturesque, like something out of ‘The Notebook’. She’s written endless songs and poems in her moleskin for girls she’s wanted to kiss. But love at first sight wasn’t something she believed in. Until now, that is, because she’s never been arse over tit for _anyone_ this quickly. _ _

__“I’d rather be in here than out there anyway, not really in the mood to get pissed,” Zayn says._ _

__“Yeah?”_ _

__“Yeah, prefer chill, quiet hangouts,” Zayn says. “Less people, less alcohol, a joint, and a good hip-hop record on.”_ _

__“You’ll have to invite me sometime,” Harry says, putting her mug down. “I promise I won’t throw up this time.”_ _

__Zayn laughs. “You’re cheeky, innit? Bet you get away with a lot with those dimples.”_ _

__Harry wriggles her eyebrows. “You have no idea.”_ _

__“Not yet, anyway,” Zayn smirks over her mug._ _

__“Are you flirting with me?”_ _

__“Don’t know,” Zayn swallows, voice wavering with uncertainty for a moment. “Do you want me to?”_ _

__“Yeah,” Harry says. “I’d quite like that.”_ _

__Zayn lets Harry gently pry her tea from her fingers, twisting to put it down with the other mug on the bedside table. And then Harry moves closer, surprised when Zayn pulls her in, fingers curled around the back of her neck as their mouths meet. It’s like fireworks exploding behind Harry’s eyelids, Zayn lapping at her tongue._ _

__It’s over too soon. Harry hasn’t had enough of Zayn’s warmth, the softness of Zayn’s breasts against hers. Harry wants more, chases Zayn’s lips again, but Zayn turns her head, lets Harry plant a sloppy kiss on her cheek._ _

__“You’ve been drinking, babe. Don’t wanna do too much with you like this,” Zayn says, tucking a strand of Harry’s hair behind her ear._ _

__Zayn’s right. Harry’s tired anyway, but Harry’s also greedy._ _

__“Stay the night?”_ _

__Zayn laughs, squeezing Harry’s bare thigh. “Yeah, alright.”_ _

__Liam texts as Zayn spoons up behind Harry, jeans off with her Batman t-shirt still on._ _

_‘You still up?’_

_‘Going to bed now. Night.’_

__

__\--_ _

__

__Waking up next to Zayn makes Harry want to write at least ten poems. Her eyeliner got smudged in her sleep and her long eyelashes make shadows fall onto her cheekbones, afternoon light catching on the tip of her nose._ _

__Harry’s worried it’ll be awkward when Zayn gets up; she’ll probably have remembered things Harry forgot, but it’s not. Zayn smiles at her, all sleepy with creases from the sheets on her cheek, and Harry’s certain, now, she’s definitely gone and fallen in love.__

"Do you always snore like that?" Zayn yawns, nose scrunching as she covers her mouth. 

Harry grins, running a hand through her hair. "I've been told it's quite bad." 

Zayn shakes her head, eyes sparkling like diamonds in whisky. "You're lucky you're fit." 

__They head out for breakfast, Niall smirking as they walk past, Zayn’s arm around Harry’s waist._ _

__Zayn’s more of a listener than a talker, but Harry’s much the same sometimes. She always appreciates someone who can be quiet. Over runny eggs and toast, Harry finds out that Zayn’s studying to be an English teacher; art’s just something she does on the side because she enjoys it, always has since she was a little girl eating Parma Violets drawing Goku from Dragon Ball Z because it made her cousins happy.__

She likes reading and has a cat and a bearded dragon named, Arnie, and her love of comic books doesn’t just end with the Batman shirt. She’s got a 'Zap!' speech bubble tattooed on her forearm and she's unimpressed when Harry says Superman is her favourite. 

"Why is Superman rubbish?" Harry demands, Zayn's disapproving frown turning into amusement. 

"You've got a lot to learn," she says, swiping the uneaten slice of toast on Harry's plate. She packs away a lot of food for a stick, has got that in common with Niall, and she smokes Marlboros despite her younger sisters want her to quit. 

__Everything about her makes Harry want to hold her hand, get to know her beyond pressing her down against a mattress._ _

__Zayn must feel the same way, because she links their fingers together when they leave the café. It’s been so long since Harry’s held someone’s hand like this, walking down the street letting everyone know they’re a thing. She hadn’t realised how much she’d missed it, thinks about the fleeting kiss Zayn'd pressed on her cheek before getting on the bus home._ _

__\--_ _

__“So… Zayn,” Niall says, later, when Harry’s back at home, knees pulled up to her chest as she waits for another text from Zayn._ _

__“Yeah, Zayn,” Harry confirms, perking up when her phone vibrates._ _

__Niall grins. “Told you I had someone I could introduce you to.”_ _

__\--_ _

__

__Everything about being with Zayn is sweet, like a coming of age novel for young girls with queer, tattooed protagonists. Zayn makes Harry feel like she’s sixteen again, unreasonably excited whenever they send each other texts or hang out in Zayn’s flat, getting high and watching Harry Potter films with her flatmate, Melissa, who she’d moved with from Bradford._ _

__It’s all felt almost _innocent_ by Harry’s standards. She’s never really waited very long to fuck someone she’s been seeing, and Zayn hadn’t seemed in a hurry to do much either. Harry's left Zayn's flat wanting more more times than she can count; Zayn's tactile, all lingering touches. She's made shivers slide down Harry's spine when their fingers brush passing a joint back and forth, and sometimes she slides her eyes down Harry's body like she likes what she sees, but they still haven't done more than kiss and a bit of feeling each other up. It’s why it takes Harry’s breath away, how filthy Zayn is when they finally do more than make out._ _

__They’ve got Zayn’s flat to themselves because Melissa’s gone for the weekend, and the way Zayn kisses Harry when she answers the door, shoving her up against the wall and grabbing her arse, means business. She drags her mouth down Harry’s neck, pushing Harry’s tights down her thighs, rubbing her cunt through her knickers._ _

__It’s urgent, the way they grab at each other like they can’t feel enough skin. They’re a mess of gangly legs and falling clothes as they stumble to Zayn’s bedroom; naked by the time Harry’s back hits the bed, Zayn between her legs._ _

__Zayn’s even more gorgeous without clothes on, tattoos on her chest and along her ribs and sides. She's long legs and small, pert breasts, her pink-brown nipples pierced. Harry wants to play with them, but Zayn is faster, gets her mouth on Harry’s tits and two fingers inside her, her thumb circling her clit._ _

__Harry arches her back, letting out a moan that the single mother with the baby upstairs probably hears. Zayn is relentless with her fingers, curving them up and pressing, pressing, pressing like she wants to make Harry come embarrassingly fast._ _

__“Wanna fuck you, babe, will you let me?” Zayn asks, lips puffy from how hard they’ve been kissing. “I’ve got a strap-on.”_ _

__“Yeah, fuck,” Harry says, desperately riding down on Zayn’s hand as she pulls her fingers out, trying to keep them inside as long as she can. She knows she’s dripping wet already, can feel the slick mess she’s made of her inner thighs._ _

__She can’t resist rubbing at her clit as Zayn digs around in her closet, anxious to get filled. She watches Zayn strap the harness on, a curved dildo attached that’s a tan colour, almost matching her skin tone. Harry’s never felt so exposed, spread out and looking at the way the harness hangs off Zayn’s narrow hips, Zayn biting her lip and giving the strap-on a tug like it’s a cock._ _

__“Hold your legs back for me, wanna see it in you,” Zayn says, getting between Harry’s legs again._ _

__Zayn fucks Harry hard and fast, watching the dildo stretch Harry open, licking into her mouth when it’s too much to look at. Zayn's good at this, so fucking good at this. She angles her hips just right, makes Harry’s toes curl as she drags her nails down Zayn’s back, grabbing onto her arse. It feels incredible, Zayn rocks her hips with a rhythm Harry hadn't known she was capable of, wet noises filling the room as she works the dildo in and out of Harry's cunt. Zayn's got her seeing bloody stars, her orgasm so sudden that she barely makes a sound, muffled against Zayn's neck and squeezing down tight around the silicone. Zayn presses in deep one more time, like she wants to make Harry _feel_ it. _ _

__Harry helps Zayn get the harness off, so turned on that her hands are shaking. She pushes Zayn onto her back, getting on top of her and flicking her tongue against the silver bars piercing the puckered skin of her nipples. She's never been with someone who's had their nipples pierced, but Zayn seems to love it when Harry tugs them with her teeth, so she keeps doing it.__

She's quickly learning that Zayn isn't as patient in bed as she is outside of it; she tangles her fingers in Harry's hair, pushing Harrys head down her chest. Harry quickly catches on, kissing her way down Zayn's tensing stomach, letting her tongue dip into her navel until her face is between Zayn’s legs. Zayn smells delicious, the skin dusky and smooth. Harry licks her lazily. Zayn tastes clean and like salt and girl. She takes her time sucking at the soft folds and dragging her tongue across so that Zayn's wetness is all over her chin, wet and messy like she likes it. 

Zayn pulls her hair again, harder this time, so Harry finally gives her what she wants, fucks her tongue into her cunt, licking her out until Zayn's a writhing mess, pulling at her own nipples until she comes on nothing but Harry's tongue, hips bucking up off the bed. 

__They lie there after, breathing heavily, until Harry says, “Why the fuck haven’t we done that before?”_ _

__Zayn laughs, tracing patterns on Harry's inner thigh with the tips of her fingers. “Niall told me to make you wait.”_ _

__Harry'd half-guessed Niall had ulterior motives when he pushed them together that night, the way he'd grin whenever Harry mentioned she'd been spending time with Zayn. Usually, she'd be annoyed, but she can't find it in herself to be, not with the way she still can't feel her toes, Zayn's hand on her hip. She’s never been happier than she is right now._ _

__“I think I love you, just so you know,” she says, kissing Zayn’s shoulder._ _

__Zayn laughs. “I love you, too.”__

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. Especially your mouth." 

"That's good, 'cause I love your pussy," Harry says, licking her lips. "I can still taste you." 

Zayn drags her hand up Harry's inner thigh, letting the pads of her fingers touch her lips, spreading them. Harry's still wet. "You're making me want to taste you now." 

They don't leave the bed for the rest of the day. 

When Zayn's asleep, fucked out with sheets around her hips, Harry scribbles new lyrics in her moleskin, a melody already in her head. The songs she's got planned for her EP have been changing each day, less about unrequited love and more about finding it. She can't wait for Zayn to hear them the next time Harry plays, at a bigger venue because someone in the last crowd at The Lion's Mane had bigged her up. 

Zayn snuffles into the pillow, still fast asleep, and Harry puts her book down so she can curl around her, skin to skin. __

__\--_ _

_‘I’ve met someone… We can hang out again. Can't wait for you to meet her. X’_

"Finally," Lou says, Tom nodding off beside her with Lux in his lap. 

\--


End file.
